Hydrant.



J. H. WHITBHOUSE.

HYDRANT.

APPLICATION IILED APB.20, 1909.

. Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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J. H. WHITBHOUSE.

HYDRANT.

ATIoN FILED APB, 2o, 1909 APPLIO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. WHITEI-IOUSE, OF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE LUDLOW VALVE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF TROY, N EWVx YORK, .Af CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.-

HYDnnNT. y

Specification. of Ifetters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2', 1912.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN I-I. WHITE- HoUsE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of Rensselaenand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrants, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements and consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had vto the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a central, vertical, longitudinal section of a hydrant embodying my invention, showing the gate in seating position but with the drip-valve yet closed, the gate, wedge-mechanism and drip-valve being shown in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a similar View in full section, showing the gate fully seated, the dripvalve open, and the wedge-members bound together by the stem and collar fixed thereon. n

This invention relates more particularly to the class of hydrants wherein the dripvalve is opened by a bodily rising movement of the screw-threaded valve-stem whereby the gate-seating mechanism'is actuated. A well known type of hydrant of this class is the Ludlow hydrant.

In hydrants of the class referred to, wherein the gate is forced to its seat by means of wedges, one carried by the gate and the other by the stem, with which it has a screw-threaded connection, vthe hydraulic pressure upon the face of the gate tends to exert through the wedge carried by the gate a constant lifting force upon the wedge carried by the stem, which lifting force is resisted only by the engagement of the upper end of the stem with a stop mounted upon the upper end of the hydrant-barrel or stand-pipe. In such hydrants, therefore, should the barrel orstandpipe be broken off, as not infrequently happens, the stem is free to rise under the lifting action of the stem-carried wedge, thus permitting the gate to be automatically opened.

The principal object of the present i11- Qventicn is to prevent an upward-movement of the stem-carried wedge after the gate has been vfully seated, except when accomplished by a rotative movement of the stem. In carrying out my invention, I provide means adapted to be forced by the final rotative movement of the stem in seating the gate into engagement with the gate to positively bind together the gate and the stem-carried wedge.

g Referring to the drawings wherein the -invention is shown in preferred form, 1, represents the barrel or stand-pipe of the hydrant, having an outlet at, 2, and an inlet at, 3, surrounded by a valve-seat, 4, and provided with a drip-opening in its bottom at 5. The valve-stem, 6, is provided with the usual socket-extension, 7, projecting ex- `teriorly through the cap, 8, which socket 5is adapted to permit a vertical movement of the main stem relatively thereto. A dripvalve,l 9, carried by the lower end of the stem, is adapted to close at certain times the drip-opening 5. The lower portionof 4.the stem is screw-threaded at, 10; and mounted upon and fitting said screwthreaded portion of the stem is an upper wedge, 11, adapted to coperate with a lower wedge, 12, to seat the gate, 13, which carries said lower wedge. The screwthreaded portion of the stem passes loosely kthrough lugs, 14 and 15, projecting from the back of the gate, whereby the gate is loosely interconnected with the upper wedge, 1l,V and is adapted to be carried thereby to and from a position opposite the seat 4.

The general operation of the hydrant is as follows: To close the hydrant the stem is rotated in a direction to cause the upper ivedge, 11, to descend and carry with it the gate, to a point opposite the seat, 4, the Y drip-valve resting upon its seat surrounding the drip-outlet 5. As the gate reaches a point opposite its seat, the lug, 15, on the back of the gate engages a stop, 16, on the flange, 1.7, by which engagement downward movement of the gate and the gate-carried klower wedge, 12, is arrested. Further rotation of the stem in the same direction forces the upper wedge, 11, downward between the flange, 17, on the barrel and the lower Wedge, 12, on the gate, thereby wedging the gate tightly against its seat; and still further rotation of the stem in the same direction causes the stem to rise bodily, carrying with it the drip-valve, 9, to open the dripoutlet 5.

In opening the hydrant the stem is rotated in the reverse direction, first causing the stem to descend until further downward movement is arrested b y the engagementof the drip-valve, 9, with its seat, further rotation in said reverse direction causing the Wedge, 11, to travel upward along the threaded portion of the stem, to firstrelieve the pressure of the gate upon its seat, and then to carry the gate upward away from its seat.

As a preferred means for preventingan upward movement of the upper wedge, 11, after the gate is fully seated, except when accomplished by a rotative movement of the stem, I have shown an offset on the stem in the form of a collar, 1S, fixed thereon, adapted to be forced into engagement with the lug, 15, on the back of the gate by the final rising movement of the. stem in opening the drip-valve after the gate has been fully seated. rI`he collar, 18, is so located upon the stem as to be brought into firm engagement with the lug, 15, by the time the dripvalve is fully opened, and, when in such engagement, said stem and collar serve to firmly bind together the two wedges, so that a wedgewise movement therebetween is impossible. So long as the two wedges are so bound together, an upward movement of the wedge, '11, is rendered impossible, except when accompanied by an upward movement of the wedge, 12, and gate, 13, said parts being in substantially fixed relation to each other, and their movement as a whole being rendered practically impossible by frictional engagement of the wedge, 11, with the flange, 17, and of' the gate with its seat. lVith said wedges so bound together with the gate fully seated, the gate cannot automatically open, even though the whole upper portion of the hydrant-barrel be broken away, and the upper portion of the stem be broken away or bent. A relative movement of separation between the wedges can be accomplished only by firstrotating the stem in a direction to move the collar, 18, downward away from the gate, which movement is automatically accomplished by the ordinary opening movement of the stem.

For certain purposes of the invention any known means may be employed whereby the wedge-members are positively locked together by the final rotative movement of the stem in closing the hydrant.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a hydrant, and in combination, a case; a rotatory and longitudinally movable stem having a screw-threaded port-ion; a drip-valve carried by the inner end of the stem, adapted to close a drip-outlet; a wedge-member fitting and actuated by the screw-threaded portion of the stem; a gate loosely carried by, and having a wedgemember cooperative with, said stem-actuated wedge-member; a stop on the hydrant-case located in the path of said gate when opposite its seat; and stem-actuated means for binding together the members of the wedgemechanism by the final rotative movement of the stem inclosing the gate.

2. In a hydrant, .and in combination, a rotatory and longitudinally movable stem having a screw-threaded portion; a dripvalve carried by the inner end of the stem, adapted to close a drip-outlet; a wedgemember fitting and actuated by the screwthreaded portion of the stem; a gate loosely carried by, and having a wedge-member cooperative with, said stem-actuated wedgemember; and stem-actuated means for binding together the members of the wedgemechanism'by the upward movement of the stem which opens the drip-valve.

3. In a hydrant, and in combination, a case, a rotatory and longitudinally movable stem having a screw-threaded portion; a drip-valve carried by the inner end of the stem, adapted to close a drip-outlet; a wedge-member fitting and actuated by the screw-threaded portion of the stem; a gate loosely carried by, and having a wedgemember cooperative with, said stem-actuated wedge-member; a stop on the hydrant-case located in the path of said gate when opposite its seat; and an offset from said stem between said drip-valve and said gate engageable with said gate by the final gateclosing movement of the stem, whereby said wedge-members are bound together and the drip-valve is opened.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of April, 1909.

JOHN H. lVI-IITEI-IOUSE.

Witnesses:

WV. I-I. I-IOLLrsTER, J r., J. DoNsBAoI-r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

